Truck accidents on Georgia roads can cause severe injuries that could, in some cases, cause permanent disabilities. Truck collisions may take different forms as the impact and crashes vary, contributing to their unpredictable nature. Underride collisions are among those variations, and these accidents can cause serious injuries.
Underride accidents
An underride accident occurs when a vehicle goes underneath a truck. A smaller vehicle’s collision elevated level of a truck’s trailer leads to such accidents. The truck may continue to drive, dragging the car trapped underneath, potentially worsening any injuries the victims suffer.
A significant danger with underride truck crashes is the underside of the truck may smash into the smaller vehicle’s windshield. This point of impact might then result in the underside hitting the driver and passengers’ heads, which could cause fatalities. Data from the Government Accountability Office reveals that 1% of traffic fatalities from 2008 to 2017 involved underride collisions.
Causes of underride collisions
A review of available data may reveal how negligence contributes to motor vehicle accidents. With underride collisions, improper and unsafe lane changes might cause such a crash. Tractor trailers have significant blind spots, so changing lanes requires checking to ensure the lane is clear.
Truck drivers could commit other negligent actions that could cause an underride accident, such as driving under the influence or embracing distracted driving. The same may apply to vehicles trapped under a truck, as the car’s driver could be the negligent party.
Accident victims may file a civil lawsuit against the party responsible for a motor vehicle collision. With truck accidents, multiple parties could be sued, as the truck company may also be negligent.
